Earth Day: Singers From Across India Collaborate To Pay Tribute To Dharti Ma

In an amalgamation of styles, the song, dedicated to Earth, has been rendered in eight languages by some of the finest musicians of India.

Updated on: 19 April 2020 2:41 pm

Some of India’s finest singers have collaborated to present “Dharti Ma – A Tribute to Earth” as a musical tribute to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, 2020.

The Earth, its natural gifts and its multifarious beings are celebrated by this lovely melody accompanied that also has a plaintive ring, as if asking if we are slowly losing the planet's many bounties. It also comes as a balm when the world needs some collective healing from the Coronavirus.

In an amalgamation of styles, the song has been rendered in eight languages by some of the finest musicians of India - Bombay Jayashri, Kaushiki Chakraborty (Earth Day Network Ambassadors), Hansraj Hans, Shankar Mahadevan, Mahesh Kale, Abhishek Raghuram, Shweta Mohan, MD Pallavi, and Abhay Jodhpurkar.

Chennai-based Carnatic singer and composer Amrit Ramnath (21) has composed and arranged the music in Raag ‘Yaman Kalyan’ and ‘Kaapi’. “I had composed the original tune and then gave the lyrics in Hindi to eight lyricists to be translated into the regional languages. I then fitted in those lyrics into the tune without sacrificing their meanings,” explained Amrit about the creative process.

While three recordings of Jayshri, Abhishek and Shweta happened in Chennai under Amrit’s direct supervision just before the lockdown, the rest happened remotely afterward in different cities where the other singers were based.

Bombay Jayashri Ramnath, ambassador of Earth Day Network, says, “Music heals, music is a prayer. We are going through a very challenging time. Through the notes and the melody, we wish for good health and well being for the world.” Says Hindustani singer Kaushiki Chakraborty, another ambassador of Earth Day Network, “This song is very special and I believe it will help raise the awareness amongst people for our mother Earth and the necessity of taking care of her and leave a better planet for generations to come.”

Shweta Mohan, the leading playback singer, says: “I worship Nature. I believe in the energy of Mother Earth as much as I believe in religions. We need to invoke her blessings now more than ever.”